Maths
At Co-op Academy Princeville we empower our children to develop a positive mindset towards mathematics. We encourage the children to fully develop their understanding and knowledge of mathematics allowing them to achieve, have fun and become confident mathematicians.
We aim that all pupils:
Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics that underpin conceptual understanding; that they can confidently recall and apply facts rapidly and accurately.
Can solve problems by applying their knowledge and understanding of mathematics, with increasing degrees of sophistication, in a variety of contexts – including real life situations.
Can explain and reason to show their understanding of mathematical concepts and the method/ processes they followed to achieve an answer using mathematical language.
Develop a growth mindset where they take risks in their learning and persevere through challenges; enabling them to become resilient learners who strive for success.
Make links across different mathematical concepts to deepen their understanding.
We believe that:
- Ability in mathematics is not fixed and by working in groups of mixed levels of prior attainment, all pupils can achieve and enhance their skills.
- Developing a positive mindset to mathematics among adults and children alike is essential for success; a “Can Do” attitude.
- Timely intervention addressing misconceptions or an opportunity to correct mistakes is essential for success.
- The opportunity to “go deeper” in different ways must be offered to all children to broaden their understanding.
To support this, we aim to develop teachers who ensure that:
- Quality first teaching is carefully planned to match the ability and prior learning of the class accompanied by the White Rose Maths planning.
- Fluency, problem solving and reasoning are incorporated in all weekly planning.
- The Calculation Policy is utilised to teach concepts and formal methods to ensure consistency across school.
- The concrete, pictorial, abstract model is used to develop conceptual understanding of mathematics.
- Lessons include opportunities for children to discuss their learning and collaborate with their peers.
- Lessons promote an environment for children to be challenged and persevere when problem solving.
- Lessons are engaging, interactive and fun where possible.
- Lessons include the use of manipulatives in all year groups to develop fluency, reasoning and problem solving.
- Lessons address any misconceptions identified throughout the learning process via formative assessment.
- Lessons include questions that explore the knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts to deepen understanding.
- Children are given time to explore, think and reflect on their learning.
Our journey towards a Mastery Curriculum
What is teaching for Mastery?
At Co-op Academy Princeville, we are developing a set of core principles that we believe will ensure that our children achieve mastery in mathematics. Mastery is not simply about memorising facts and procedures to answer test questions; mastery is about knowing why and how, being flexible and creative in approaching the familiar and unfamiliar. Achieving depth in mathematics is more important than speed.
Developing Teaching for Mastery.
At Co-op Academy Princeville, we have embarked on a project to ensure that there is a smooth transition from current teaching to teaching for mastery. This is being supported by West Yorkshire Maths Hub Mastery Readiness programme (2018-19) and will be followed by participation in the WYMH Teaching for Mastery programme (2019-2021). All teachers are further developing their understanding of mastery between 2019 and 2021. During 2018-19 the focus will be on using the White Rose SOL, establishing positive mathematical mindsets for staff and pupils, reviewing our lesson structures and class organisation and developing our use of manipulatives and representations. In 2019/20, we aim to further develop our teachers’ subject knowledge and ability to plan for deep understanding. We will also review our interventions and assessments.
Structured Interventions to provide additional support:
We aim to work towards a position where our lessons are pitched in such a way that all children are expected and enabled to achieve regardless of their individual starting point. Less confident children may receive additional support within the lesson through scaffolding (by support, resources or task). Pupils that are experiencing difficulties and have misconceptions will be identified through immediate teacher assessment and addressed with interventions. This style of intervention will be in place to enable the pupils to ‘keep up’ rather than ‘catch up’ and address the gaps in learning.
Challenging Learners:
Challenge for all groups of learners must be an intrinsic part of maths lessons. It is expected that most of the children will be taught the same content at the same time. Challenge can be incorporated into lessons by skilful questioning; pupils who grasp concepts quickly should be challenged through rich and sophisticated problems – “go deeper” – rather than accelerating into new content. All pupils should encounter such problems: different pupils will engage with problems at their own depth.
Outcomes for our children:
At Co-op Academy Princeville, we want our children to leave our school as knowledgeable, positive and confident mathematicians; we want each individual to have been able to fulfil their true potential. We want each child to have the skills to be resilient when presented with the unfamiliar and the ability and confidence to question why. Therefore, we aim to ensure that almost all our pupils achieve the end of KS2 expected standard for maths.
Maths Progression
In EYFS, teachers are using the Mastering Number Programme to develop a good sense of number:
https://www.ncetm.org.uk/maths-hubs-projects/mastering-number/